How to Discover and Use Your Talents to Your Advantage

It is not uncommon to have periods of time where you simply feel like you are in a rut and these are times when you want to start getting creative. One of the best ways to get out of a rut is to refer to your talents so that you can create new options for yourself. Once you find even a single new option, you will find that you feel energized to push forward and do things differently. This can help with everything from excelling in your career to ensuring that you are able to strengthen your personal relationships and partnerships.

Everyone has a variety of talents, whether you feel that they are readily apparent or not. Think about the things that you do well. Something as simple as staying calm under pressure can help you to make major changes in your life so that you can get out of a rut.

Go Online to Take a Personality Test

Many talents are associated with different personality types, so if you know your personality, you can see which talents are most likely already in your arsenal. After you take the test and get your results, take a look at the various strengths that are associated with your personality type. This is where you can start with identifying the various talents that you already have at your disposal. Remember that things like being able to think critically and being a good listener are both very valuable talents that can get you far.

Think About Things that You Feel Comfortable Doing

Everyone has activities that make them feel more confident because they happen to be good at them. For example, if you are good at solving puzzles, this can help you when you need to sit down and think about how to get out of a tough situation. Take a few minutes and write down the activities that you like doing because you are skilled at them. This gives you a good place to start in identifying the various talents that you possess. Remember that no skill or talent is too small to recognize when you need to improve something in your life.

Ask Other People What Your Talents Are

Sometimes people can see things in you that you are unable to see yourself, so getting some information from those closest to you will help you to identify some unrealized talents. Even if people say that you are good at talking to people, this is a talent that you can certainly put into good use at some point. Remember that even if you cannot use a particular talent right now, you can always refer back to it in the future when the situation is more appropriate for using it.

Write it All Down in a Journal

When you are really thinking about your talents, it can sometimes be hard to see what is right in front of you. However, if you start writing and just let the words flow, this is a way to really tap into your mind to see what your true thoughts are. You can also use past journals and re-read these to see what you have written. This may open your eyes to talents that you forgot you had so that you can start putting them into use now.

Do Not Dwell on Things You Cannot Do Well

Remember that this process is all about identifying the talents that you do have. Dwelling on the things that you are not particularly skilled in will simply distract you and make it more difficult to put your talents to use. Forget about the time that you did not make the volleyball team or the fact that your sibling has more musical talent than you. Just focus on what you have accomplished and what you are able to do well.

Knowing your talents and how to use them is powerful and not something that everyone is able to do. Remember that you have several things that you are good at and you can take advantage of all of these. These talents can get you out of bad situations and help you to excel in things like work, school and relationships. Never underestimate the power of a solid talent, even if that talent seems like it does not directly relate to what you are trying to accomplish. Work with it and make it work so that you can make the best of any situation.

- Rosemary Kitchen

Resources

http://www.mindpub.com/art017.htm